Pernambuco 2014 World Cup Secretary Ricardo Leitão "guaranteed" that the Arena Pernambuco would be finished in the time promised to FIFA. The stadium is currently 70% finished, "the worst of the six stadiums due to host Confederations Cup matches." The stadium in Recife is due to host three games in the Confederations Cup, including the Spain vs. Uruguay group stage clash (PORTAL 2014, 12/10). ... The work for laying the Desso blue turf at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan has started and is "expected to be completed by the first week of January" (PAKISTAN TODAY, 12/9). ... The lighting system for the seven games, including the final, of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games has been selected. A contract between the Rio de Janeiro state government’s public works company, Empresa de Obras Públicas (EMOP), the Consórcio Maracanã Rio 2014, a consortium comprised of the Norberto Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez construction groups and General Electric Lighting, includes the installation of 396 floodlights to illuminate the field at the Maracanã. The project took into account the need to provide the Maracanã with uniform and consistent lighting to eliminate shadows and offer perfect visibility anywhere on the field, a crucial element for players’ performance and high-definition TV broadcasts (GE).

GRAND OPENINGS: Brasileiro club Grêmio inaugurated its new stadium, the Grêmio Arena, over the weekend in a 2-1 win against German club Hamburg SV. More than 60,000 fans showed up for the stadium's opener (FOLHA DE S. PAULO, 12/10). ... Badminton's Taufik Hidayat Arena, located in east Jakarta, Indonesia, officially opened on Monday. Taufik Hidayat, the man after whom the arena was named, said: "My dream since its ground-breaking two and a half years ago has come true." The venue consists of eight badminton courts, a gym, multifunction room, basketball court, athletes' lounge, 10-room dormitory and cafe (JAKARTA GLOBE, 12/10).